Trump discloses plan to get back Bagram air base from Taliban in Afghanistan

"We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us," Trump said. "We want that base back but one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons."

By Misty Severi

Published: September 18, 2025 9:39pm

President Donald Trump on Thursday told reporters that his administration is attempting to get the former United States Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan back from the Taliban.

The United States abandoned the air base in 2021 during former President Joe Biden's massive military withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Trump made the revelation during a press conference with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in England, where he also criticized his predecessor's chaotic withdrawal.

“We gave it to them for nothing," Trump said of the base. "We’re trying to get it back, by the way. That could be a little breaking news. We’re trying to get it back because they need things from us. We want that base back but one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons."

The president did not expand on what "things" the Taliban is trying to get from the United States or provide any other insight into the plans to regain control of the base.

The comments are the first time Trump specifically revealed plans to attempt to get the base back, but he criticized the withdrawal in February and claimed the base, which was the largest American base in Afghanistan, should never have fallen into enemy hands.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.